What Are the Forms of Trustworthiness in Islam?
ما هي صور الأمانة؟
How is trustworthiness reflected?
The answer lists six forms of trust: the religion, conveying it and performing its obligations; people's wealth, not taking it unjustly; people's bodies and lives, not harming them by hand or tongue; knowledge, received correctly and passed on without distortion; testimony, given as it occurred; and secrets, kept even from close relatives.
1. Religion and Worship
In religion! Communicating it is the greatest trust that a person should carry, and one of its forms is communicating religion to all people, as the Messengers peace be upon them and those who came after them from the scholars and preachers did. This is in addition to trustworthiness in acts of worship and performing the obligations. The religion is called a trust because a person will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection.
2. Money and Wealth
Money in general: this deeply includes that a human being should not rob peoples' money nor take it unjustly. Preserving the financial rights of others is a direct reflection of a believer's inner trustworthiness.
3. Bodies and Souls
The bodies and souls of the mankind: it is strictly not permissible for a person to tamper with the lives of others or expose them to harm and damage, whether by hand or tongue. Respecting human life and physical integrity is a sacred trust.
4. Knowledge and Sciences
The knowledge and sciences one learns! He should be extremely keen to learn correctly, and therefore teach them to others without alteration and distortion of words and deeds. Intellectual honesty ensures the proper advancement of human society.
5. The Testimony
The testimony: It must be performed exactly as it occurred without distortion, adding, or removing details. Justice depends entirely on the trustworthiness of witnesses standing firm for the truth.
6. Keeping Secrets
Keeping secrets: keeping the secrets of the person who entrusted him with his privacy and not telling anyone about them, no matter how close that person is. Protecting the privacy of others is a crucial element of Islamic character.
ما هي صور الأمانة؟
يذكر الجواب ست صور للأمانة: الدين تبليغا وأداء للفرائض، والأموال فلا يأخذها بغير حق، وأجسام العباد وأرواحهم فلا يؤذيها بيد ولا لسان، والمعارف والعلوم تلقيا صحيحا وأداء بلا تحريف، والشهادة كما وقعت، والأسرار ولو عن القريب.
الدين والعبادات
الدين! إبلاغه أعظم أمانة ينبغي على الإنسان أن يحملها، ومن صورها تبليغ الدين للناس أجمعين كما فعل الرسل عليهم السلام ومن جاء بعدهم من العلماء والدعاة، إضافة إلى الأمانة في العبادات وأداء الفرائض. سمي الدين أمانة لأن الإنسان يسأل عنه يوم القيامة.
الأموال بشكل عام
الأموال بشكل عام، وتشمل عدم اعتداء الإنسان على مال غيره أو أخذه بغير وجه حق. فالحفاظ على الحقوق المالية للآخرين هو انعكاس مباشر لأمانة المؤمن الداخلية.
أجسام وأرواح العباد
أجسام وأرواح العباد، فلا يجوز للإنسان أن يعبث بأرواح غيره أو يتعرض لها بالأذى والضرر سواء باليد أو اللسان. فاحترام الحياة البشرية والسلامة الجسدية أمانة مقدسة.
المعارف والعلوم
المعارف والعلوم التي يتعلمها! فيحرص على تلقيها بالشكل الصحيح، وتقديمها دون تبديل وتحريف بالأقوال والأفعال. فالأمانة الفكرية تضمن التقدم السليم للمجتمع البشري.
الشهادة
الشهادة؛ فلا بد من أدائها كما وقعت دون تحريف يزيد عليها أو ينقص منها. فالعدالة تعتمد كليا على أمانة الشهود وثباتهم على الحق.
حفظ الأسرار
حفظ الأسرار؛ وذلك بكتمان الإنسان أسرار من استأمنه على خصوصياته وعدم إطلاع أي أحد عليها وإن كان قريبا. فحماية خصوصية الآخرين عنصر حاسم في الشخصية الإسلامية.
1. A Confidence Is a Trust | فهي أمانة
The Prophet said: When a man tells something and then looks around, it is a trust (Sunan Abi Dawud 4868, graded sahih by al-Albani). Even an unspoken sign that a matter is private makes it a trust, which is the answer's sixth form, keeping secrets.
قال رسول الله ﷺ: "إذا حدث الرجل بالحديث ثم التفت فهي أمانة" (سنن أبي داود 4868، وصححه الألباني). فمجرد التفاته يدل على أنه سر، فيكون أمانة، وهذه هي الصورة السادسة في الجواب: حفظ الأسرار.
2. Deposits and Testimony | فليؤد الذي اؤتمن أمانته
Allah says: if one of you entrusts another, let the one entrusted discharge his trust and fear Allah his Lord, and do not conceal testimony (Al-Baqarah 2:283). The verse joins two of the answer's forms: people's wealth held in trust, and testimony delivered as it occurred.
فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا فَلْيُؤَدِّ الَّذِي اؤْتُمِنَ أَمَانَتَهُ وَلْيَتَّقِ اللَّهَ رَبَّهُ ۗ وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا الشَّهَادَةَ (سورة البقرة: 283)
قال تعالى: فإن أمن بعضكم بعضا فليؤد الذي اؤتمن أمانته وليتق الله ربه ولا تكتموا الشهادة (البقرة 2:283). فجمعت الآية بين صورتين من صور الأمانة في الجواب: أموال الناس، والشهادة.
3. Each of You Is a Shepherd | كلكم راع
The Prophet said: Each of you is a shepherd and responsible for his flock: the ruler is a shepherd, a man is a shepherd over his family, a woman is a shepherd in her husband's house, and a servant is a shepherd over his master's wealth, and each is responsible for his flock (Sahih al-Bukhari 893). Every role a person holds is a trust he will be asked about, as the answer says of the religion.
قال رسول الله ﷺ: "كلكم راع، وكلكم مسئول عن رعيته، الإمام راع ومسئول عن رعيته، والرجل راع في أهله وهو مسئول عن رعيته، والمرأة راعية في بيت زوجها ومسئولة عن رعيتها، والخادم راع في مال سيده ومسئول عن رعيته" (صحيح البخاري 893).
Scholarly Insight: The answer's six forms of trust are named in the texts: a confidence shared with a glance around is a trust (Sunan Abi Dawud 4868); the one entrusted must discharge his trust, and testimony must not be concealed (Al-Baqarah 2:283); and each person is a shepherd responsible for his flock (Sahih al-Bukhari 893). Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What are the forms of trustworthiness in Islam?
The answer lists six: the religion, people's wealth, people's bodies and lives, knowledge, testimony, and secrets.
Why is the religion called a trust?
Because, as the answer says, a person will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection, and conveying it is the greatest trust.
Is a private conversation a trust?
Yes. The Prophet said: when a man tells something and then looks around, it is a trust (Sunan Abi Dawud 4868).
Who is responsible for a trust in the family?
Each person: the man over his family, the woman in her husband's house, and the servant over his master's wealth; each is a shepherd responsible for his flock (Sahih al-Bukhari 893).
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →